The political stalemate has consequences. Kari Lyndersen (In These Times) reported yesterday, "Last week electricity union offices across Iraq were raided under a July 20 decree from the Minister of Oil and Electricity, Hussain al-Shahristani, which banned trade unions in the energy sector and threatened serious legal action against union activity." While that's appalling by any standard, it should be noted that Hussain al-Shahristani is NOT the Minister of Electricity. Karim Wahid was the Minister of Electricity until he resigned June 21st. By June 25th, Hussain al-Shahristani was the acting electricity minister though the press reports were leaving out "acting." Reality, he has NO power. It's not just that Nouri's ass should have already been out of the prime ministership, it's that al-Shahristani has not been approved for that post. He is the Minster of Oil -- a Western puppet in that position, but not enough of one that he got to become the Prime Minister as 2004 rumors swore he would be. But he was approved for that post.

Yes, we're all aware Nouri al-Maliki thinks he is God. But delusions aside, he can only nominate cabinet positions. Check the Constitution -- I know no one bothers to, but laws are on the books for a reason. Nouri can name anyone to the Council of Ministers but they don't have that position and title unless and until the Parliament approves the person. The Parliament has never approved Hussain al-Shahristani to be the Minister of Electricity. For those who have forgotten, the Parliament has only met once and for less than 20 minutes. No, they did not approve al-Shahristani for that post. Let's repeat, Karim Wahid was the Minister of Electricity until he resigned June 21st. And the Parliament met once and only once when? June 14th. Even if they'd wanted to approve al-Shahristani for another post (debatable), they didn't and haven't. He has no powers.

But Nouri's refusing to step down and what has some US government figures concerned is the belief/fear that Nouri is dragging out the process because he thinks that it will be easier for him to refuse to step down after the US drawdown. Kari Lyndersen adds, "International labor groups are calling the decree part of a systematic attack on unions in Iraq in recent years. US Labor Against the War (USLAW) says the 'anti-union decree is the latest in an escalating series of measures designed to incapacitate and destroy the Iraqi labor movement'." And this is why you don't let things drag out. The US, under Bush, should never have gone along with a delay in the 2009 elections. What 2009 elections? That's when they were supposed to take place. Bush went along. Barack came in and went along with further delays. Now all this time later, Nouri's still stalling the political process. And you have his henchmen acting without any legal authority. That's why you don't let it drag on and why, if Barack's too much of a damn wimp, you bring in the United Nations immediately and force all parties to the table to hammer out something and do so quickly. This was nonsense and happened under the US occupation. Happens under the US occupation. US Labor Against the War is asking that people join them in protesting the attempts to destroy the electricity unions:

Police raided and shut down electricity unions across Iraq in mid-July, carrying out an order from the Minister of Electricity that could have been lifted from Saddam Hussein's rule book.

The order prohibits "all trade union activities at the ministry and its departments and sites" and authorizes the police "to close all trade union offices and bases and to take control of unions' assets properties and documents, furniture and computers." [Details below.]

The Iraqi trade union movement is calling on trade union members and labor solidarity activists everywhere to raise their voices in protest.

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TOSEND OIL MINISTER SHIRASTANI AND PRIME MINISTER MALIKI A MESSAGETO PROTEST THESE VIOLATIONS OF BASIC LABOR RIGHTS THAT ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF ANY TRUE DEMOCRACY.

Hussain al-Shahristani, Oil Minister of Iraq, who was also appointed Electricity Minister, issued a decree that

1. Prohibits all trade union activity and ceases all forms of cooperation and official discussions with the electricity sector unions;

2. Directs management to help police enforce the closure of union offices and confiscation of documents, furniture, computers and anything else present;

3. Orders all enterprises to take immediate legal action against anyone who threatens or uses force or causes any damage to public property under the 2005 anti-terrorism law; and

4. Orders all departments and enterprises to repeal any benefits and privileges union members have gained.

This outrageous action violates all of the norms of internationally recognized labor rights. It escalates a broad attack on unions that has been taking place in Iraq since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein that has included:

* Continued enforcement of Saddam's ban on unions in the public sector and public enterprises;

* Ignoring the requirement in the Iraqi Constitution calling for enactment of a basic labor rights law;

* Violating ILO Convention 98 on collective bargaining to which Iraq is signatory.

If you click here, US Labor Against the War has made sending e-mails to object very simple.

From war on the unions to other violence . . .

Bombings?

Sahar Issa (McClatchy Newspapers) reports a Baghdad roadside bombing claimed 1 life and left four people injured, a Karbala suicide car bombing which claimed the lives of 20 people with another fifty wounded, and a Mosul home bombing which wounded two people. (I think Karbala was yesterday, FYI, but it's billed as today.)

In other developments, Catholic News Agency reports a passing, Auxiliary Bishop Andraos Abouna, 67-years-old, died today in an Erbil hospital -- possibly from kidney complications. The Auxiliary Bishop was ordained as a priest June 5, 1966 and had been working in Iraq all that time. The Assyrian Democratic Movement notes, "Mar Andraos is known for defending and fighting for peace between Iraqi factions and has great stance in maintaining the unity of the people of our Chaldean Syriac Assyrian. H.E. Mar Andraos is also known for promoting a unified religious dialogue and strengthening the unity of Iraqis to safeguard and consolidate the national unity and supports the diversity of Iraq." In January 2003, John L. Allen Jr. (National Catholic Reporter) filed a story on the Auxiliary Bishop:

During his Christmas Mass, the pope prayed that humanity will strive "to extinguish the ominous smoldering of a conflict that, with the joint efforts of all, can be avoided." On New Year's Day, he spoke in similar terms. "In dealing with ongoing conflicts and tension growing more threatening, I pray that peaceful ways of settling conflicts be sought after, driven by loyal and constructive cooperation in accordance with the principles of international law," John Paul said.

Few people were probably listening more attentively than Andraos Abouna, the new auxiliary bishop of Baghdad, who was personally consecrated by the pope along with 11 other new bishops on the Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6. Abouna will aid Patriarch Raphaël I Bidawid of Baghdad in shepherding a community of some 600,000 Iraqi Chaldean Catholics, who may soon find themselves at ground zero of the war John Paul is begging the world to avoid.

[. . .]

"We asked the Holy Father to pray for peace in Baghdad," Abouna said, "and you could see that he was moved. When he speaks about Baghdad, he does so from the heart, because this is the land of Abraham, the first believer in God. For us it is the Holy Land."

Abouna said he also appreciates the letter from the U.S. bishops on Iraq, which he described as a "very, very good statement."

Still, he is a realist about the potential impact of such interventions from religious leaders, given that John Paul opposed the Gulf War in 1991 and it didn't stop the bombs from falling.

"Politicians act in their own interest, often for economic reasons," he said. "They don't so much care what religious leaders say."

Vatican Radio notes his kidney problems two months ago and that yesterday the Auxiliary Bishop was taken to the hospital, yesterday afternoon, that the funeral was expected to be held this evening, that he was born in the village of Bedare/Zakho in 1943, entered the Monastery in 1975 (in Mosul), was ordained in Baghdad June 5, 1966 and had been a parish priest in both Basra (1967 to 1971) and Baghdad (1971 to 1991).